New Openings and Experiences Coming to Indiana This Summer

This summer in Indiana, guests can book a unique getaway in a remodeled shipping container hotel, take a guided ATV tour through the wilderness, and cool off in the state’s newest waterfront park.

Is Indiana on your summer vacation radar?

Checkout the great experiences you can add to your Hoosier state vacation calendar:

Hamilton County, Indiana

• New Exhibit at Conner Prairie
• Conner Prairie plans to complete its new exhibit entitled Promised Land as Providing Groundin Summer 2023. The exhibit covers centuries of African American history from pre-colonial Africa to the present day and specifically explores the development of African American faith and their expression through food, music and dance, and activism from traditional African religion to the African American church.
• Geist Waterfront Park Opening
• On Memorial Day Weekend, Geist Waterfront Parkwill open to the public. Visitors can explore the park’s playgrounds, walking trails and kayak/paddle board launch.

Indianapolis

• New Accessibility Features at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis
• Riley Children’s Health Sports Legends Experienceis a 7.5-acre outdoor park on the grounds of the world’s largest children’s museum. There, families can play basketball, football, hockey, soccer, race pedal cars, play baseball, tennis, run, jump and throw—all with the benefit of trained coaches who help teach tips and tricks and initiate group games. For new accessibility features, there’s a wheel chair lane and also a hand cycle that wheelchair users can attach to their wheelchairs, there’s no longer a height restriction to ‘drive’ because the pedal race cars now have lanes with ‘safety bumper barriers’, the soccer field has a ‘paddle ball’ option for those using wheelchairs that they can ‘kick’ the ball using their hands and the special adjustment, special turf throughout is wheelchair accessible to all everyone to play. Basketball hoops come at various heights so wheelchair users can actually roll right up and tickle the twine. The magnificent tree of sport has an elevator to take visitors up a couple floors inside the tree to look out. My-size sports equipment and courts/fields are great for our ‘legends-in-training’ who prefer smaller areas. A ‘hitting’ wall is perfect for tennis fans who want to hit the ball against a line on the wall instead of over a net.
• Shipping Container Hotel Opening
• Indianapolis native and founder of an innovative boutique hotel concept, Robin Staten brings a tranquil and relaxing setting to Indy’s urban core with Tiny Urban Escapes, luxe shipping container accommodations with a garden oasis. Set to open in July, the four-suite hotel and glass pavilion event space serves as a green sanctuary.

Southern Indiana

• The Woods ATV Adventures Opening
• This new attraction in Starlight offers guided ATV toursthrough the rolling hills of Southern Indiana. These tours give visitors access to 600 acres of scenic forest. Professionally trained trail bosses lead riders on a 2- or 4-hour adventure, helping to ensure a thrilling yet safe excursion. The Woods’ fleet of ATVs allows them to take as few as a single person to as many as 80 people out on the trails, making this a great location for small groups and leisure travelers or for larger private and corporate gatherings. Co-owned by lifelong friends Rick Koetter and Brad Niehoff, the old logging trails that wind through the forest have been upgraded and will be maintained, so everyone can enjoy “The Woods.”

Wayne County

• Unveiling of the Black History Discovery Trail + Annual Signature Exhibit at the Wayne County Historical Museum
• On Juneteenth, Wayne County will unveil their Black History Trail. Explore the sites that tell the county’s story about the Underground Railroad movement and the history, music, culture, entrepreneurship and contributions of the county’s Black community.
• Additionally, the Wayne County Historical Museum will reveal their annual signature exhibit. This year’s focus is on African American history.